Pillars of Eternity, released in March 2015, showcases a unique period in Obsidian Entertainment’s history when the independent studio sought support from Kickstarter for the game’s development. This led to a delay in implementing a highly requested feature that was only added more than a decade after the game’s launch.
The developer announced on the RPG’s official website that the anticipated turn-based fighting mode will be introduced this week. From Wednesday onwards, Steam and Xbox players can join a Beta version of the new feature.
Obsidian explains that the solution will function like the mechanics seen in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. This involves determining character actions based on their speeds and enhancing combat lethality for more engaging encounters.
Adjustments will continue to be made to Pillars of Eternity.
By choosing the new turn-based combat mode, Pillars of Eternity will have to make adjustments, such as categorizing actions like changing weapons, drinking potions, or activating modals as “free actions,” as explained by the developer.
Choosing one of these options will not make your character skip a turn or lose the ability to attack. The studio states that this type of action can only be done once per turn, and players are free to switch back to the old combat system whenever they wish, even after starting a new adventure with the updated features.
Obsidian states that since it is a public Beta, users should expect ongoing bug fixes and adjustments. The Beta will be active for a while as updates are rolled out in preparation for the full release. Feedback from Pillars of Eternity players is requested to help make necessary adjustments.
Josh Sawyer, the game director, stated that a third installment would only be possible with resources comparable to those of Larian Studios working on Baldur’s Gate 3. Despite the series being on hold, elements of its universe may be explored in Avowed, which was released recently.
Source: Obsidian Entertainment
Fresh chances
Director of Pillars of Eternity aims to create a follow-up using the budget of Baldur’s Gate 3.
